Maybe Baby
by Birdieq
Summary: Mostly cute, fluffy Maddison babies. One-shot collection of drabbles chronicling Addison's resistance to Mark's desire for baby number three. Pre-Don't Want to Need You. Not totally necessary to read that story first, but it explains some things that aren't gone into in-depth here.


**I know, I know, you all are dying for an update on Don't Want to Need You. I planned on writing a few chapters ahead to post while I was off enjoying a long weekend but clearly that didn't happen. What** _ **did**_ **happen, though? This little one-shot, just a bunch of snippets, really, inspired by a suggestion from winter machine,** _ **bringing Angelina home from the hospital**_ **. I just threw it together, bit by bit, when I had a few minutes here and there so it's not the best but it's Maddison and babies so it's not all bad.**

"So, I was thinking maybe we should have another kid."

Next thing Mark knows he's splattered in coffee and thumping his wife on the back as she sputters and coughs. "Jesus, Red, a simple 'no' would have sufficed!"

She fixes him with a mean side-eye when she finally catches her breath. "That is the absolute stupidest thing you have ever said. Cece's not even a year old yet, and we have our hands full enough with her and Emme right now! Why on earth would you want another one?"

"I dunno, you just looked so happy with Aaron, I thought maybe…"

"Well, you thought wrong!" Addison has to fight the urge to smile, though, at the thought of Savvy and Weiss's newly adopted son, two weeks old and nine pounds of chubby, dimpled cheeks and roly-poly thighs. They had just had the couple over for Thanksgiving dinner, and Addison had spent much of the evening cuddling the long-awaited little boy.

"But it might take a while for you to get pregnant, and then there's the whole nine months thing, so Cee would be closer to two by then…" Mark reasons.

"No."

"Why? You love babies. And we still need a Mark junior…"

"Well, then you figure out a way to get pregnant because my uterus is closed for business."

….

"Oh, look at these!"

Addison turns around holding up two little green plaid dresses. She and Mark are out the next day doing some Black Friday Christmas shopping, and she's in search of the perfect dresses for the girls to wear for the holiday.

"We're spending Christmas at home, just the four of us. Why do they have to get dressed up?"

"Because it's tradition!"

He's about to argue when something catches his eye. "Okay, so what about this?"

She raises an eyebrow at the outfit in his hands - black pants, white dress shirt, little green bowtie and a vest that matches the dresses. "It's a little small for you, don't you think?"

"Oh, come on! Mark junior could be wearing this by next Christmas. How can you say no to that?"

"Like this - _no!"_

….

A few weeks later they celebrate Cecilia's first birthday. It's just the four of them, plus Savvy, Weiss, and baby Aaron, because it's December, which means colds, and the flu, and really the last thing they need is the birthday girl coming down with something that very well might land her in the hospital. And anyways, it's not like either of their families has any interest in attending.

Cecilia doesn't know what she's missing out on, though; she just squeals and pounds on the highchair tray as the people who love her sing Happy Birthday. Mark helps her blow out the candle and removes it just in time for her to bury one hand in the bright pink frosting.

Once everyone is served Mark sits next to Addison and leans in to whisper in her ear. "You know what she wished for?"

"Not a clue. What?"

"A baby brother."

….

As soon as the girls are in bed on Christmas Eve, Addison and Mark get to work lugging piles of wrapped gifts downstairs. While Addison carefully arranges them under the tree, Mark busies himself filling the stockings.

"You know, there's still room for one more up here," he says as he stuffs a Beanie Baby snowman into Emme's stocking.

"You're unbelievable! When are you going to give up?"

"When you say yes."

"Well, good luck. You're going to need a miracle," she informs him, but she has to turn away so he can't see her face.

He just grins. "It's Christmas, Red. The season for miracles."

….

"So, what's your New Year's resolution?"

Mark looks at Addison as if she has three heads. "We don't do resolutions."

"I know, but I was thinking maybe we could this year."

"Okay, since it's your bright idea, you go first." He refills their glasses of champagne and sits back.

She bites her lip. "Well, my New Year's resolution is...to have another baby."

This time it's Mark's turn to choke. "Are you serious?" he asks when he can finally breathe again.

"I mean, if you don't want to…"

"No, no, I do. But do _you_ really want to do this?"

"I...I do. So what's your resolution?"

He sets down his glass and gives her a naughty smirk. "To help you have another baby!"

….

"Hey, this is for you."

Addison is tidying up the living room, and Mark has just finished putting Emmeline to bed after spending the day at the zoo, followed by dinner and dessert at his favorite restaurant. He takes the white envelope from her with a questioning look. "The girls already gave me cards," he points out.

"I know. This one's from me. Open it!" she orders, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement.

He does as he's told. It's a typical Father's Day card, some generic, manly mountain scene on the front, mushy sentiments inside, but it's what falls out that makes him grin from ear to ear. "For real?"

Her smile matches his. "For real! I mean, it's early, only about six weeks, so don't get _too_ excited yet-"

He drops the card and black-and-white print on the coffee table, scoops her up, and spins her around. "We're having a baby!" he says before leaning in for a kiss.

"We're having a baby."

….

"Why wouldn't you want to find out the sex? You did with Emme and Cecilia."

"I know, I just thought it might be fun not to," Addison says, trying not to sound as nervous as she feels. Mark has talked nonstop about Mark junior for the last four months while her gut instinct is screaming _girl_ , and she's slightly terrified that he might be disappointed if she's right.

He definitely looks suspicious. "What's going on, Red? Surprises are definitely not your idea of fun."

"What's wrong, are _you_ afraid of surprises?" she challenges, hoping he'll bite.

"Me? Afraid? Of course not!"

"So we're not finding out."

He scowls a bit, knowing he's been beat. "Fine."

….

"Just think, this time last year you said no more babies," Mark reminds Addison. She's sprawled out on the couch, exhausted after preparing a Thanksgiving feast, and he's massaging her aching, swollen feet.

"Yeah. I should have stuck to my guns," she groans. "This is _definitely_ the last one."

"Oh, stop it. It'll all be worth it in the end."

"Mark, shut up and go get me another piece of pumpkin pie."

….

As soon as the holiday madness dies down, Addison gets to work on the nursery. She's ridiculously late getting started, with just over six weeks to go, but Cecilia's never-ending doctor's appointments and therapy sessions have kept her busy. _And it's not like babies care what their room looks like anyways_ , she rationalizes.

She's always loved the sea, so she decides on a nautical theme. The walls are pale blue with white trim, and she chooses accent pieces in navy and red.

"You peeked, didn't you?" Mark accuses as he surveys the finished room. "It's a boy. It's definitely a boy."

"It's not a boy! I mean, it _might_ be a boy, but it might not be. Gotta go with gender neutral."

"Whatever," he scoffs on his way out. "It's nice, though. Mark junior will like it.

….

Baby Sloan is due on Valentine's Day, but Addison's water breaks early on February third. Her labor progresses slowly; by the following afternoon she's nowhere near where she needs to be and the baby is going into distress, so the decision is made to proceed with a c section.

Mark sits by anxiously as his wife is prepped and draped for surgery, then watches as the first incision is made. "Okay, are we ready?" the OB finally asks before lifting the baby out. "Congratulations, it's a girl!"

Addison glances nervously at Mark, but he's beaming with pride as he cuts the cord. "Look at her, Red, she's perfect! And we finally got a redhead," he gushes, all hopes for a son long forgotten, as the newborn is held up just long enough for Addison to catch a glimpse of her before she's whisked off to be examined.

After what seems like an eternity Addison is finally brought to her room, and the baby soon joins her. It doesn't take long for her to latch on and start nursing, and Addison can't wipe the smile off her face as she strokes her daughter's bright, silky wisps of hair. "So, you're not...disappointed?" she asks tentatively as Mark joins them in bed.

He strokes one round, rosy cheek, traces the intricate curves of a tiny ear. "Are you kidding me? Look at that face. Who could be disappointed with that?"

….

Five days later Addison is cleared for discharge. She's anxious to get home, as flu season has been particularly bad so the hospital had temporarily banned all visitors under the age of eighteen. Five days is way too long to be away from her girls, and she knows at least one of them is dying to meet her new baby sister.

Mark insists on holding on to Addison as they make their way up the walk even though there's just barely a dusting of snow. He opens the door and they're greeted by utter chaos. Cecilia comes barreling towards them at top speed, but is so excited to see Addison that she loses focus and her left hand slips off her walker and she stumbles. The nanny and Mark both lunge towards her, but not in time to keep her from crashing to the floor, her head bouncing off the coffee table on the way down.

Mark scoops her up and surveys the damage. He determines that while she'll probably end up with a goose egg she's fine and grabs an ice pack from the freezer.

Addison is torn as she listens to her middle child cry and call out for her, but Angelina needs to be fed and Emme is tugging on her arm while repeatedly begging at top volume to hold the baby.

Finally, though, by some small miracle, all three children are quiet. Addison is exhausted and sore, and Cecilia needs a nap, so all five of them pile onto the bed. Mark gets the baby settled in Emme's lap, and Cecilia gets some much-needed mommy snuggles. Addison and Mark lock gazes over their daughters' heads, and no words need to be spoken for either know what the other is thinking, though Mark eventually breaks the silence.

"Does it get any better than this?"

She shakes her head. "Can't beat perfection."

….

As perfect as life is as a family of five, it isn't exactly easy. Just as Addison expected, Cecilia spends her days alternating between total indifference towards this needy new intruder and having frequent meltdowns when Addison can't pick her up because of her c section or won't play with her because the baby needs to be fed or changed. Emme, thankfully, is generally patient while her sisters' needs are tended to and always willing to hold the baby so Addison can deal with Cecilia, but she is only four and her patience isn't endless; she, too, pitches the occasional fit and starts wetting the bed more frequently.

Gradually, though, things calm down as they find their new normal as a family of five and Addison begins to wonder why she was so against having another baby.

"I thought three would be so much harder than two," she finally admits to Mark as they climb into bed one night.

"So maybe we should start thinking about number four?" Mark suggests.

She raises an eyebrow. "Now you're pushing your luck."


End file.
